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England fast bowler Simon Jones is out of the Ashes tour and will play no cricket for at least six months after injuring his knee in the first Test against Australia in Brisbane.Jones ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee as he attempted a sliding stop in the field early in the second session of the Test. The 23-year-old needs reconstructive surgery, but doctors do not want him to fly home for at least two weeks.”I was fielding at mid-on to Ricky Ponting when it happened,” Jones said. “The ball went past me and I just went into a regulation slide after it.”The grass is different here though – it’s more sandy-based because they play Aussie Rules football on the same surface – and my studs caught and I landed awkwardly on my right knee.”It didn’t really hurt that much to be honest. I just knew there was something wrong immediately and I that I had to lie still and wait for Kirk Russell to come onto the field.”I broke my left leg before playing rugby when I was 17 and I’ve also had stress fractures of the shin and the foot since then. I’ve come back from those injuries so I’m backing myself to come back from this too.”I’d started the game well and was feeling good. In the previous matches, I’ve built my pace up slowly session by session, but this time I’d managed to get up to the 91/92 mph mark much quicker than before. Obviously, I’m gutted about what’s happened but it’s something that I feel I can get over.”Jones will fly to Adelaide, where he will be based at England’s cricket academy for treatment designed to reduce the swelling.

The President and the Secretary General of Pakistan Women Cricket Association are pleased to invite all Sports Journalists and Photographers for a Press Briefing at 12:30PM on 3rd July 2002 at Paradise Hotel, Liberty Market, Gulberg, Lahore.

Note:
Mrs Gulshan Nasreen, President, Lahore District Women Cricket Association has arranged for Lunch at the same hotel. All players of the Punjab Women Cricket Teams are cordially invited to participate.


Azraa Parveen
Secretary General
Pakistan Women Cricket Association
2 July 2002

The West Indies Cricket Board have named a West Indies 14-member squad to participate in the International Cricket Council’s Champions Trophy limited-overs competition in Sri Lanka from September 12 to 27.As part of the competition’s Participating Nations Agreement, all countries were required to submit their teams to the ICC by August 12.The WICB had hoped that the Selection Committee, under the chairmanship of Sir Vivian Richards, would have been able to use the imminent Red Stripe Bowl limited-overs championship as a yardstick for the squad’s selection.The ICC’s August 12 submission deadline, however, made this impossible and the WICB requested an extension of this deadline, but was refused by the ICC.The West Indies squad is largely the same that played in the 2002 Cable & Wireless Trophy limited-overs home series against India and New Zealand with Runako Morton replacing Gareth Breese and Mahendra Nagamootoo returning to limited-overs international duty.With back-to-back tours to India and Bangladesh to follow the ICC Champions Trophy, those players not selected for the visit to Sri Lanka will have a chance to impress the selectors during the Red Stripe Bowl.Squad: Carl Hooper (captain), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore, Cameron Cuffy, Mervyn Dillon, Chris Gayle, Ryan Hinds, Wavell Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Brian Lara, Runako Morton, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Ramnaresh Sarwan.

“There is a hell of a difference between good and great cricketers. If I have to name the great cricketers of all time, the list will be limited to very few. And I must add that, if Brian (Lara) continues to play the way he is playing now, he will definitely be there,” said Sir Garfield Sobers. He was speaking at a function to have a road – Sir Garry Drive – named after him.Although he did not specify all the names, Ian Chappell was mentioned. “Great players are those who can stay calm even during the toughest hours. Take the case of Ian Chappell. When he was made captain of the Australian side, Australia was not the best in the world. But under his able leadership, Australia became a champion side. He was truly an indomitable cricketer,” said Sobers.”Every generation has three distinct type of cricketers – good, better and great. But, as I said, there can only be a few who can feature in the all-time great list. In my list, I can include a maximum of three to four cricketers only.”Sobers’ standards are high; after all, he was the one who thought that there can never be a good ball to a great batsman. He still believes that a great batsman always uses his bat more than his pads to dominate the bowling. To illustrate his point, Sobers pointed to former England captain Ted Dexter, also present at the ceremony, and said, “He was a batsman of that class. I’ve always seen him to prefer to use his bat to counter quality spin bowling.”Sir Everton Weeks and Sir Clyde Walcott were also at the function, prompting Sobers to recall, “I still remember that Sir Everton presented me with a bat when I was not a regular with the Barbados team. I had the opportunity to bowl against the three Ws, and each of them inspired me to play well. That was really boosting.”A documentary titled “Down Memory Lane,” directed by elder brother George Sobers, was screened at the occasion. Sobers’ younger brother, Gerald, was present, and the great all-rounder maintained that Gerald didn’t translate his potential into success. “He should have played more in the international arena. We were called the ‘Chinese Brothers.’ At 15, we were playing against each other in a match when I played for the Country XI and he was in the City XI. I bowled four-five deliveries at him. Later, our friends were complaining that I should have bowled at least one half-volley to him, which I didn’t.”Sobers was naturally overjoyed, but at the same time, he acutely felt his mother’s absence. “Last year I lost her. It would have surely been great if she was here. But she is in heaven now and cannot be present at a function where her son is felicitated.”

It’s a feat that has been performed only 25 times in over 1600 Test matches and so it does have an honoured place in the records section of the Wisden. To hit a hundred and take five wickets in an innings in a Test match is still the highest benchmark by which a cricketer’s all-round ability is judged.

Many great players – Richard Hadlee and Kapil Dev included – have, though, failed to pass this exacting test. The rather surprising absence of Kapil notwithstanding, India is fairly well represented among the 25 thanks to two gallant performances by Vinoo Mankad and Polly Umrigar.The former pulled off the feat against England at Lord’s in 1952 while Umrigar completed the double against the West Indies at Port of Spain in 1962. The similarities in the two performances are astonishing.In both cases, they were the top-scorers in either innings – Mankad making 72 and 184 and Umrigar hitting 56 and 172 not out. Both Mankad and Umrigar also sent down the maximum number of overs – 72 and 56 respectively – for their five-wicket hauls, conceding 196 and 107 runs. Both had a tidy spell in the second innings without claiming a wicket. And in both cases, India lost the match – the margin at Lord’s being eight wickets while at Port of Spain it was sevenwickets.Despite the similarities and the greatness associated with both feats, it is Mankad’s achievement that is remembered more fondly. Perhaps because it was the first time an Indian had achieved the feat or maybe because the drama surrounding the double was enacted at Lord’s.Today (June 23, 2002), it is exactly 50 years since Mankad’s accomplishment. And surely there is no better time than a golden jubilee to take a trip down memory lane and examine closely the matchless deed of Mankad the magnificent.To begin with, it must be stated that Mankad was not a member of the touring squad. It was indeed a sorry situation that saw a largely inexperienced team make the rounds in England without any conspicuous success while the leading Indian all-rounder was playing in the Lancashire league.Following a contractual misunderstanding with the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Mankad was not selected for the tour. He, however, had a lucrative offer with the Lancashire league club Haslingden. In the meantime, India lost the first Test at Leeds by seven wickets. By now it was becoming increasingly clear that Mankad would be required for the next Test, both as opening batsman and for leading the bowling attack in the company of Ghulam Ahmed.The Indian manager Pankaj Gupta hastily negotiated Mankad’s release for the remaining three Test matches and so from playing one-day cricket in the Lancashire league, Mankad went straight to the sterner atmosphere of a five-day Test at Lord’s.On the opening day, June 19, Vijay Hazare won the toss and elected to bat. Mankad dominated the opening partnership with Pankaj Roy, hitting leg-spinner Roy Jenkins for a straight six inside the first hour.The two put on 106 runs before Mankad was first out. His going triggered a collapse, and but for Hazare (69 not out), no one offered much resistance. India, consequently, were all out for 235, shortly before close.Throughout the second day and most of the third, Mankad toiled manfully while bowling to a strong batting line-up that started with Len Hutton and Reg Simpson and continued with Peter May, Denis Compton, Tom Graveney, Alan Watkins and Godfrey Evans.On a perfect pitch, he still managed to extract some turn and bounce, all the while maintaining his trademark control over line and length. When England were all out for 537, shortly before tea on the third afternoon, Mankad had been rewarded with the wickets of Simpson, May, Watkins, Jenkins and Bedser and his figures were 73-24-196-5.Ten minutes later, he was back at the crease and soon was stroking the ball confidently against the pace of Freddie Trueman, the swing of Bedser, and the spin of Jenkins, Laker and Watkins. By close of play, he was unbeaten with 86 out of a total of 137 for two and in the Sunday newspapers, critics expended their stock of superlatives whilst praising Mankad’s all-round abilities, his skill, his stamina and his courage in adversity.On Monday, June 23, Mankad resumed his innings and within quarter-of-an-hour reached his century to complete the double. At that time, the feat had been accomplished only four times in 351 Tests. The last player to do so was Jack Gregory for Australia against England in 1920-21. Little wonder, then, that Mankad’s was hailed as an outstanding achievement.Mankad went along his merry way until, shortly after lunch, he missed the line of a delivery from Laker and was bowled. One critic observed “it seemed that something contrary to nature had taken place.” Mankad was third out at 270 after sharing a 211-run third wicket partnership with Hazare.An all-too-familiar Indian batting collapse followed and the tourists were all out for 378 shortly before close of play. England needed only 77 runs for victory. At stumps on the fourth day, they were 40 for one, and were home shortly after play resumed on the final morning. Mankad this time had the tidy figures of 24-12-35-0.England might have won but it was still Mankad’s game, even if there were no Man of the Match awards in those days. Queen Elizabeth, then in her first year of her reign, arrived shortly after Mankad was out. It was a pity she could not see a ‘royal’ performance but learning of his feat, she spent some time congratulating him when the teams were presented to her at the tea interval.Noted cricket writer AA Thomson captured the scene thus: “One of the most charming pictures that ever appeared in Wisden is that of Her Majesty shaking hands with Mankad on that glorious day. The splendour of his innings at Lord’s will be remembered by all who saw it for many a long day. His hitting was free, swift and vigorous and roused the spectators to a higher pitch of enthusiasm than had the excellent English batting. He flogged the bowlers until they weretired and then finally with his score at 184, was tired himself.”Fifty years on, the lustre surrounding Mankad’s achievement has not diminished. It still takes its place as one of the greatest feats in Indian cricket. The fact that it has been emulated by an Indian only once and has been beyond the reach of even such a dynamic cricketer like Kapil Dev is testimony to this.

Southern Electric ECB Premier Division 1Bashley (Rydal) 232-7 (Loader 54, Thurgood 48, Knowles 35)
Bournemouth 155 (Cassell 50, Miller 30, Nash 3-19, Taylor 3-19)Andover 230-7 (Langdown 102, Hayward 29)
Hungerford 184-7 (Rider 61, Ward 25, Clark 3-39)Havant 217-9 (Carson 85, Gillies 48, Lewis 32, Wright 3-51)
Liphook & Ripsley 132-9 (Berry 28, Loat 3-27)South Wilts 222-6 (Pauwells 56, Rowe 53, Wade 36, Dibden 3-34)
BAT Sports 219-8 (Shirazi 50, Kenway 36, Carson 26, Chandler 4-25)Match postponed: Burridge v Calmore SportsSouthern Electric Premier Division 2Cove 177-8 (Randall 43, Blackman 33)
Easton & Martyr Worthy 86 (St Green 23, A Birch 22, Smith 5-22, Ashton 4-13)Lymington 277-8 (Craft 139, Clemow 47)
Hambledon 190 (Norris 49, Finch 46, Treagus 5-44, Peacock 3-19)Old Tauntonians & Romsey 286-5 (Forward 136, I Tulk 55)
United Services 207 (Geoghan 64, Carson 35, Wood 4-38)Trojans 140-8 (Le Bas 36, Durand 25)
Portsmouth 142-8 (Dew 63, Cook 25, Sandiford 4-35)Old Basing 190 (Richards 76)
Sparsholt 194-5 (Richings 95*, Nicholls 54, Andrews 5-59)Southern Electric Premier League Division 3Flamingo 261-4 (Merkel 134*, Shapland 31, Fenigan 27)
Paultons 164 (Collins 52, Heath 3-26, Shapland 3-40)Portsmouth II 177-8 (Limb 37, Stares 30, Naqeeb 30, Scott 24, Collins 3-28)
Gosport Borough 179-3 (Wateridge 54, Collins 36*, Adams 34*)Leckford 170 (Fidgen 54, Isherwood 49, Hole 3-19)
Havant II 173-3 (Hole 63 n.o., M Gover 61)Bashley (Rydal) II 198-7 (Grierson 39, Middleton 37, Hall 30, S Latimore 26)
New Milton 199-7 (Wheeler 79, Griffiths 31, Taylor 27, Middleton 3-36)Alton 181-9 (P Heffernan 32, Oliphant 31, Pay 3-24)
Purbrook 129 (Pay 24, Chalkley 3-10)Rowledge 162-8 (Extras 41, Tanner 28, Tapper 3-17)
Lymington 163-8 (Tapper 56, Mitchell 4-40)Hursley Park 110 (Harris 36, Adams 4-27, Perry-Lewis 3-39)
St Cross Symondians 113-1 (Barrett 57, Rees 30)United Services II 213-5 (Lowe 66, Edwards 31, Saunders 27)
Hook & Newnham Basics 218-4 (Lovelock 101, Kaminsky 80)Winchester KS 164-9 (Taylor 50, Baumann 4-34)
Waterlooville 58 (Naik 4-17 inc hat-trick, Greetham 3-17)Pick of the Day
Batting
139 Ben Craft (Lymington)
136 Charles Forward (OTs & Romsey)
134* Shane Merkel (Flamingos)
102 Ian Langdown (Andover)
101 Keith Lovelock (Hook & Newnham Basics)
95* Tim Richings (Sparsholt)
85 Dominic Carson (Havant
80 Janish Kominsky (Hook & Newnham Basics)Bowling
5-22 Matt Smith (Cove)
5-44 Glyn Treagus (Lymington)
5-59 Mark Andrews (Old Basing)

It was one of those “you had to be there to see it” days at the Gabba.Victoria’s batting on the way to a woeful first innings of 148 after being sent in by Queensland in their Pura Cup match bordered on embarrassing.But Queensland made Victoria’s form with the willow appear almost brilliant after staging one of their worst starts to an innings in recent memory.Needing only first innings points to secure a home final, the Bulls batted like a social pub team.At one stage they staggered like drunks at 6-22, in real danger of posting Queensland’s lowest score in almost a century.Stand-in skipper Martin Love could be excused, the victim of a dubious call to a ball down the leg side which may not have snicked his bat.Wicketkeeper Wade Seccombe was forced to play a good length delivery from Mathew Inness which he edged to ‘keeper Darren Berry on five.Queensland’s worst first class batting performance was 42 back in 1903-4.Its lowest Sheffield Shield score of 52 in the early 1980s was under threat until Lee Carseldine (36 not out) and Ashley Noffke (nine not out) staged a 42-run seventh wicket stand which they need to build on tomorrow.The Bulls crash was of Wall Street proportions, six wickets squandered before their lunch had time to settle.Dandenong rookie paceman, William Carr, playing in only his third match for the Bushrangers, ploughed through a brittle Bulls top order sadly missing MatthewHayden, Jimmy Maher and late withdrawal Stuart Law.He fired out openers Brendan Nash (1) and dangerman Love (five) before adding Andrew Symonds (nought) and a careless Clinton Perren (two) to his career best haul of 4-22.And he hasn’t finished.At one point Carr had the stunning figures of 4-12.His performance overshadowed a fine display by Bulls teenager Scott Brant who performed his own demolition job on Victoria.Zimbabwe-born Brant, who under ACB rules is not allowed bowl more than 20 overs in a day or more than eight overs in one spell, to protect him from injury, arule blasted by former Australian speedster Jeff Thomson, featured in six dismissals.The 19 year-old took three wickets – two in the first session – and dragged in a classic diving catch to remove a stubborn Matthew Mott, plucking theboundary-bound ball out of the air in spectacular fashion.Mott, who prodded, pushed and poked at 110 deliveries for his 34 runs, was beginning to look a threat before Brant’s full length dive ended his innings just after lunch.Brant utilised the morning conditions perfectly after stand-in Bulls captain Love put the Bushrangers in on a wicket which was hardly a fearsome greentop – although made difficult by an uneven bounce.Love refused to blame the wicket for Queensland’s crash.”Those two guys (Carseldine and Noffke) have shown the rest of us how to bat, they toughed it out really well,” said Love.”It’s a six point game guaranteed; even if we don’t get first innings points, we’re still in it.”

Ian Ward batted throughout the first day of England A’s third round Busta Cup match against Guyana today steering his side into a strong position with a gritty 87.There is good reason why Ward is the most tanned member of the England A squad. He spent four full days in the sun at Trinidad, making a century and keeping watch in the covers and today in Grenada, he took guard first thing after the toss was won and was still there at stumps by which time, England A were 237 for three after 101 overs.

In contrast to his steady and cautious way of accumulating runs, Aftab Habib appeared more urgent and his unbeaten 40 featured a series of perfectly timed drives through the covers, the ball hurtling to the boundary across a lightning fast outfield.Had Habib not sparked some life into the order in the final 20 overs, the day would been another slow one for England A, but with sights firmly set on a 400-odd total, the contributions of both were invaluable.The batting line up had a different look to it to the previous two matches after skipper Mark Alleyne dropped himself to make way for three England A debutants plus leg-spinner Chris Schofield who had yet to make an appearance on this tour.Alleyne has not enjoyed the best of form since arriving in the Caribbean, with either the bat or ball so his decision to surrender the captaincy to John Crawley to allow him time to work on his game, was a pragmatic one.And when Warwickshire skipper Michael Powell collected 75 runs on debut, batting with Ward to give the opening partnership a combative feel to it, the decision appeared even more sound. The pair added 93 runs in the morning session, which started with two consecutive but unsuccessful appeals for lbw and continued with two dropped catches.Ward was missed at short leg by Ramnaresh Sarwan while on 17 and Powell edged a ball between second and third slip on 41 but both players made the mistakes pay. Powell’s half century came in under two hours during which time, he struck eight boundaries most of them hit straight and all of them cleanly.Not until the 48th over did the Carl Hooper’s side make the breakthrough when another chance in the slips was seized on by Azeemul Haniff as Powell drove at Hooper. The left and right handed combination had worked well in giving England A a robust start and when the stand was broken they had 134 runs on the board.Crawley and Vikram Solanki did not prove such long-standing partners, both departing cheaply to lbw decisions but the arrival of Habib shortly after tea provided much needed impetus and by the close, they had put on 58 runs.All day, the teams had to contend with strong winds that swept across the square and out to sea posing more problems for the bowlers who were already struggling with another slow flat pitch.But Hooper, who was in demand by the media after the rumours over his imminent appointment as West Indies captain had started to circulate, kept his focus well sending down 26 overs for just 44 runs and capturing the first wicket into the bargain.He is keen to make an impression in his first season back in West Indies domestic cricket following a two year absence and claims his international ambitions are not distracting him.”Getting back into Test team is not something I am losing sleep over,” said the former Kent overseas player who retired in 1999 midway through the one-day international series against Australia.He has spent his two years playing club cricket for Carlton in Australia, where he is now based, and would have come back sooner had he been able.”What I want to do is play some cricket for Guyana. Since I retired I have never been back to play any regional cricket and I still feel I have a few years left in me yet, if not at Test level then at first class level and I want to give something back to Guyana.”Commenting on the rumours that he will replace Jimmy Adams for the series against South Africa, he said: “That is just what they are, rumours. We have chopped and changed captains so often. Last year Adams won series here against Pakistan and Zimbabwe. He did not do well in England and in Australia we were up against a very hard side.”And as to why he chose to retire in the first place he added: “It is hard enough when you lose but even harder when you sense that not everyone is pulling in the same direction.”

“The Code of Conduct is almost ready and we will soon announce it,”Sports Minister Uma Bharti told PTI, adding that these should beimplemented by the States as well as the National Sports Federations.Sports being in the State List, the Government had to take the viewsof all the States, which unanimously favoured the Centre’s initiativeto rein in players in the wake of the CBI report indicting several topcricketers for their alleged involvement in the match-fixing andbetting scandal, the Minister said.She said the Government was of the view that the Code should beimplemented by the Federations themselves and for this they would betaken into confidence before announcing it. “Cricket se to hamariankhen khuli hein (It was the scandal in cricket which opened our eyesto the menace),” Bharti said adding the “too much commercialisation ofthe game has brought it to such an impasse.”The Code of Conduct was prepared after studying those of variouscountries and the provisions made there in, the Sports Ministersaid.”All the points which were found good enough to stop the menaceof match-fixing have been considered favourably and views of expertsin various fields were taken for preparing the Code of Conduct forIndian players,” she said. Asked whether CBI was still continuing itsprobe in the match-fixing and betting scandal which originated withDelhi Police taping the conversation between disgraced South Afrciancaptain Hansie Cronje and a bookie, Bharti said “no more inquiry isbeing conducted by CBI at present.”She said the Government was not against cricketers getting good moneyfrom the game as their playing career was short. “But we are againsttoo much commercialisation which lures players to look for easieroptions to make money,” Bharti added.”If commercialisation of cricket becomes the sole motive of theorganisers, then it no longer stays a game but becomes business. Andthis is what the Government wants to stop,” the Sports Minister said.

Sikandar Raza and Steve Tikolo hit half-centuries to steer Southern Rocks to a four-wicket victory over Mashonaland Eagles in the Metbank One-Day Competition, chasing down their target of 253 with 11 balls to spare in the 40-over match.Pakistan-born Raza laid the foundation for the chase after his partner Steve Marillier was bowled by fast-bowler Douglas Hondo off the first ball of the innings. Raza hit eight fours and a six in his 77, which came off 61 deliveries. It was his maiden List A half-century.Former Kenya captain Tikolo guided his side home in what could have become a tense chase after six wickets had fallen with 47 runs still needed from 32 deliveries. Tikolo and Tendai Chisoro ensured there were no further hiccups with an unbroken 50-run stand that came off just 3.3 overs.Greg Lamb had earlier played an aggressive knock of 96 off 78 deliveries to lift the Eagles from 103 for 5 to 252 for 7. Lamb added 116 runs for the sixth wicket with Tarisai Mahlunge who made 47 off 49. Tikolo was the best bowler for the Rocks, taking 2 for 46 in eight overs.The Rocks earned four points for their victory.